Nearly 200,000 Toyota Supra and BMW Z4 sports cars – and other more popular BMW models – have been recalled in the US, and some Australian vehicles are also likely to be caught up in what has now become a global issue.
The US product safety recall for both models is due to a potential starter motor defect which could see the BMW-produced 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine fitted to some Supra coupes and Z4 roadsters switch on by itself, or even catch fire.
This means Australian Supra owners will not be involved, given only the 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder engine is offered in the Japanese coupe here – but the 2.0-litre ‘B48’ turbo-four is available in the local Z4 lineup.
The risk includes potential overheating, leading to a short-circuit and potential fire outbreak, according to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which issued the recall.
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Global supply of the two sports cars – which are essentially the same but with different exterior designs – comes from the same factory at Graz in Austria, where they are made for BMW and Toyota by Magna Steyr.
The recall includes around 1500 Supra vehicles in North America, where the impact goes beyond the Z4 and includes the BMW 230i, 330i, 430i, 530i, as well as X3 and X4 mid-size SUVs fitted with the same engine.
No official recall has been issued for the Z4 or any other BMW model due to this issue in Australia, but one is expected expected to be announced in the coming days.
“We are aware of the global recall and can confirm that the Australian market is impacted. We are in close contact with our head office to determine the specific implications for our market,” said BMW Australia in a statement to CarExpert today.
Production of the current generation A90-series Supra and G29-series Z4 is scheduled to end in 2026 after almost seven years.
Toyota has said it is not replacing the Supra despite the company embarking on a motorsport program to compete with Ford and Chevrolet in the Australian Supercars series next year.
The final version, the GR Supra Track Edition, was launched in July 2025 before order books for the local lineup closed in August.
BMW has not confirmed whether it will replace the Z4, but there’s potential for the German automaker to produce an electric successor based on its groundbreaking Neue Klasse platform first employed under the new iX3 electric SUV.
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